Before I Leaving
by alienchrist
Summary: Machi is diagnosed with incuritus, so Apollo and Trucy do everything they can to fulfill his last wishes. Where's Klavier in all of this, and how will they fulfill Machi's last request? Written for the kink meme. Slight Machi/Klavier overtones.


Apollo had never been in the waiting room of a large hospital before. For all it looked exciting on TV dramas, he found it to be both tense and boring. No one stood out. People paced or fidgeted and tried to be normal, and everyone looked washed-out and exhausted. Apollo crouched forward in his chair, pressing his finger to his forehead.

"Th-this is so much harder than I thought it would be. I mean, what do you do for someone who seems to be suddenly dying? Get them a get well soon balloon? Is that insensitive?" These questions were aimed at his companion, who gave no reply.

Klavier hadn't spoken a word since they both got the news on the steps of the courthouse. Some fluttering sycophant once affiliated with the Gavinners' record label gave them the news.

Machi collapsed during morning exercises at the detention center and briefly slipped into a coma. Tests at the hospital showed that his body seemed to be fighting infection, yet there seemed to be no sign of infection at all.

Apollo was shocked, but Klavier seemed to take the news even worse. The face that was playful and laughing moment before drained of expression. When Apollo insisted they visit him immediately, he only gave a nod.

"Flowers?" Apollo mused aloud. "I don't know if he likes flowers. I mean, he's a boy…"

One of Trucy's many tricks was to appear spontaneously out of nowhere. Fortunately, when she did this today, she also produced a bouquet of daisies out of her top hat. "Hi Polly! Hi Mr. Gavin!"

Apollo looked up at the his blue-clad assistant. "Hi Trucy. Thanks for coming. He might feel better if someone his age is around." After a moment, he added, "Did you have any luck contacting Lamiroir?"

"Daddy promised to bring her. She'll be by later!" Trucy bounced as she spoke. Considering the situation, it was a little unnerving. "Do we know what's wrong yet?"

"Not yet, but for him to just collapse like that, with a high fever, shaking and screaming in pain, slipping into a coma…" Apollo winced in sympathy. "That doesn't sound like any sickness I've ever heard of before."

"There's one," Klavier said softly.

"Which one's that, Mr. Gavin?"

"Incuritus."

"I always wondered about incuritus," Trucy remarked. "I mean, isn't that name kind of pessimistic? Shouldn't they call it maybe-someday-we'll-cure-it-itus?"

Apollo was just about to provide a sarcastic response when a grim-looking doctor approached them. "You're the friends of patient Machi Tobaye?" the woman asked, glancing at her clipboard.

"That would be us!" bubbled Trucy.

"He's ready for visitors."

Apollo, Trucy and Klavier followed the doctor to Machi's room. They paused in the doorway.

Machi was hooked up to an IV. Blue eyes open, staring at the ceiling. For the time being, he was awake.

Taking a deep breath, Apollo walked in. Trucy was a step behind him. Klavier hung around in the hall, chatting quietly with the doctor.

"Hi Machi!" It was times like this Apollo was really glad for Trucy's unshaken demeanor – even if it was a little disturbing. She all but beaned Machi with the bouquet. Fortunately, Machi seemed pleased to cradle the bouquet in his arms.

"Hi Machi, remember us?" Mr. Wright taught Apollo to smile even when it looked like there was no hope. Apollo thought of this as he gave Machi a sunny grin.

"Mr. Yoostis and his assistant. Why you here?" Machi attempted to smile, touching the faces of the flowers.

"Do you want to sit up?" Apollo pointed to the button beside the bed. Machi gave a little nod and Apollo adjusted the bed until Machi was sitting almost upright.

"We were worried, of course," said Apollo, trying to look reassuring. "We're your friends." _Maybe the only ones you have._

"I have incuritus. The doctor telling me."

Even Trucy was struck speechless by that.

"Maybe you should get a second opinion," Apollo offered weakly. "There's no way to know."

"They do special blood test." Machi shrugged with finality.

"I'm so sorry, Machi," Apollo stammered.

"Cheer up, Machi! Maybe there's a cure no one's discovered yet!" Again with the optimism from Trucy, but Apollo didn't need his special powers to hear Trucy's voice waver just the tiniest bit.

"There one. A Borginian cocoon. You no recall?"

Machi stared out a window. Apollo could see the tension twitching at the side of his mouth. He was trying so very hard not to get upset in front of others and chewing his lower lip to ribbons.

"Well, I don't think it's going to be possible to get one," Apollo said weakly.

"I know. Would not ask someone to get. I die in this hospital. I not mind. I did bad thing. Am punished."

"No," said Trucy firmly, grabbing Machi's hand. "No, no, no. Machi. No. No one deserves to die."

"Then why this happen?" Machi asked sullenly, tugging his hand away.

Apollo fidgeted. "Why don't I get a vase for the flowers?" he excused himself.

The doctor and Klavier were no longer chatting outside the door. Klavier was halfway down the hall, walking at quite a clip. "What are you doing? Aren't you going to go see Machi?" Apollo had to run to catch up with the taller man.

"I have some calls to make."

"Right now? You're kidding me! Go say hi to Machi. They just diagnosed him with incuritus, the least you could do—"

"I can't. Not right now. You'll let Machi know I'll be in as soon as I can?"

The smile on Klavier's face was so reasonable that Apollo felt dizzy. His bracelet wasn't getting a break tonight. He wanted to pick apart that expression; then again, Apollo was pretty sure he didn't have to. Klavier was masking his worry, but more than that, he was masking his intentions. Was Klavier aware of how much he could look like his brother?

"Don't do anything stupid. Machi wouldn't want you to—"

"Don't talk about him like he's already dead." Klavier turned on his heel.

From his room, Machi started screaming. Apollo ran back to the room. He'd thrown the daisies, they scattered all over the room as Machi seized and shouted, caught in some sort of fit. Trucy stood next to him, pale and blank-faced. "The call button, hit the call button!" Apollo shouted, though the nurses would be here soon anyway. They'd arrive in a storm with needles and restraints, to fight the flurry and overcome it.

Machi was drugged into unconsciousness by the time Phoenix arrived with Lamiroir. He looked like an angel, pale as the hospital sheets, the tiniest line of worry on his brow. Lamiroir sat next to him, stroking his hair, murmuring to him in Borginian.

The way Lamiroir looked at Machi, focusing with her newly sighted eyes, made something in Apollo's throat hurt. Déjà vu, though he couldn't tell why.

"How are you holding out?" Phoenix asked Apollo.

"He's just a kid. This isn't fair."

"What's fair about life?" Phoenix shrugged.

Apollo didn't know how to answer.

No sign of Klavier the next day, or the next. A week passed. Machi asked about him, only once, and a few tears slipped from his eyes when Apollo made some half-baked excuse for him. Apollo began to wonder how long they could keep up this vigil without him. He called Klavier's office to receive an answering machine; the prosecutor's office said he took personal time due to the illness of a family member.

Phoenix was the only one who ever seemed to leave for work. Lamiroir refused to leave Machi's bedside. Trucy was convinced Machi was her personal audience, desperately needing the smiles her humor and magic tricks could bring. Apollo stood around and watched over all three. The Wright Anything Agency was just too empty without Trucy.

Besides, someone needed to bring them food. Someone needed to drag Trucy out of the room so Lamiroir and Machi could have their conversations in Borginian and Machi could finally cry.

He was tearstained one night when Trucy and Apollo returned from the cafeteria. "I brought you cookies!" Trucy enthused. Machi wiped his eyes.

"I thinking… there much I want to do, before I leaving this world."

"Don't talk like that, Machi, they could still find a cure!"

Machi shook his head. "It's alright, Miss Troosi. Nothing can be helping this right now."

Apollo grabbed Trucy's hand when he saw her eyes mist with tears. He never thought heartache could be literal, but what else could he call this pain in his chest? It doubled when he looked at Trucy.

"I don't want you to die!" Trucy cried. "Please, you can't give up, Machi! You can't! You have to get better so you can teach Daddy how to play, and you and Lamiroir can be a family again…"

"Trucy, calm down," Apollo whispered.

Machi raised a hand and Trucy went silent. "I not giving up. Just making plan. Tomorrow, I could be dead. That is simple fact. I not happy with this, I no want to die in hospital. I make list. Thing I want do before I leaving. Mr. Yoostis, Miss Troosi, please be helping? I hire you. Help me complete list."

"I'll pay your asking price," Lamiroir added.

"You don't have to pay us!" Trucy insisted.

For once, Apollo didn't object.

With Trucy and Apollo's help, Machi and Lamiroir gave a farewell concert at the Wonder Bar. After the set, Machi collapsed and fell into a coma for several days. The doctors were not happy with them for that development. The exertion from the hot lights and piano could've sent him to an even earlier grave. Luckily, Machi opened his eyes.

The next request on Machi's list, a holiday at the beach, seemed a bit more relaxing. The doctors gave Machi permission to go. Lamiroir was trained how to administer Machi's pain medications, should it come to that.

Machi was quiet all of their first day. They feared he would be too tired by the long train ride, but he enjoyed wading and helping bury Phoenix in the sand. There was little tension in his expression and he seemed contented. As the sun began to sink beneath the waves, Phoenix, Trucy and Lamiroir all helped to set up a bonfire on the beach.

Apollo took a moment to rest with Machi underneath the beach umbrella. "There's really only one more thing on your list, are you sure there's not more you want to do?"

"I have short life, small life," said Machi. He hugged knobby knees to his chest. "I am happy if I have one last thing."

Apollo looked at the list, written in Lamiroir's neat script. "The last thing on your list is to have your first kiss. Huh. Should I call Trucy over? I'm sure she'd be more than happy to."

"Miss Troosi is good friend, but she not my type. Do you know what it means, if I am not swinging that way?"

"Well, uh, I could call Mr. Wright over, but he's sorta old for you I bet…"

Machi laughed. Actually laughed. Apollo startled, suddenly realizing who was left by process of elimination. "Y-y-you don't mean me? Uh, truth is… I've never been kissed either. I mean, I, I will if you want, even though you're just a kid, and a boy besides, I'd try my best!"

"Just a kid," Machi sighed. "I don't want to die a child, a virgin, either. But I'm thinking a kiss is a good place to start."

Apollo blushed so hot he was certain the sand beneath the blanket would turn to glass.

"Don't worry, Mr. Yoostis, I am not asking you to do that. I am not asking for your kiss, either."

"But… we helped you with the other things," Apollo said lamely. "We wouldn't be doing our job if we couldn't help you complete your list."

"You do enough, Mr. Yoostis. You good man."

They stared at the golden-orange waves of the sea, lapsed into silence.

The sounds of a motorcycle tore through the peaceful evening. Apollo recognized the roar of that monstrosity from miles away.

"Looks like Prosecutor Gavin finally decided to make an appearance," he mumbled.

Klavier parked haphazardly in the lot next to the cabin they rented. In the middle of the week, there weren't too many vacationers to disturb. Machi ran barefoot to meet the man clad in motorcycle leathers. He grabbed Klavier by the hair and kissed him hard, if clumsily.

Klavier pulled away with a laugh. "Enough of that nonsense, Herr Machi. I've brought you a gift." He held aloft a small vial filled with a blue-purple substance that looked like Easter egg dye.

"The curative," Machi gasped. Tears filled his eyes. "I cannot accept. You will go jail. I cannot…"

Klavier flipped his hair, calmly amused. "You'd die instead? I think not. Besides, a certain fräulein is already on her way to arrest me. She was just kind enough to give me a head start."

"Ema," Phoenix breathed. His smile seemed genuine for the first time since Machi fell ill.

"No," Machi sobbed, beating Klavier with tiny fists. "You prosecutor. You good man. You no criminal. No smuggler. Cannot be. You no do this, not for me."

Lamiroir took the vial from Klavier, who put his arms around Machi, crouching to meet him at eye level. "What kind of person would I be if I had the means to save an innocent person from dying? Much worse than a smuggler. I am not that kind of man, Herr Machi. Do not ask me to be."

"Let's go inside," Lamiroir interrupted. "I'll prepare the curative." She looked to Machi kindly. "We can give it to you as a simple injection. It won't hurt any more than your pain medication."

"No, Lamiroir," Machi sniffled. Lamiroir and Klavier guided Machi into their rented cabin. "You go to jail too, the laws…"

"The laws are wrong!" Trucy interrupted, flouncing with intensity.

"Besides, no jury would convict them," Phoenix pointed out. "Especially not with Apollo Justice defending them."

"Stop signing me up for things without my consent," said Apollo weakly.

They seated Machi on the couch. Lamiroir carefully prepared one of Machi's doses of painkiller and replaced it with the curative. Klavier sat next to Machi, mostly, it seemed, because Machi wouldn't let go of his hand.

Apollo settled next to Machi. "So, does that mean I cross it off the list?"

"The list?" Klavier raised an eyebrow at Apollo.

"The last thing on my list, before I leaving. To have my first kiss." Machi mumbled, going red.

"That, in the parking lot, was your first kiss?" Klavier was trying to appear serious, but obviously seemed near laughter.

"Yes. Sorry."

"Herr Machi, that's simply not acceptable. A first kiss is supposed to be initiated by someone with more experience, someone who cares for you very much."

"I didn't mean to, I just, I thought…"

"Shh. I've not much time." Klavier tilted Machi's chin up and planted a kiss to his lips, lingering and sweet.

When the kiss broke a moment later, Machi said, "Ah," and seemed unable to say anything else.

"It's done," said Lamiroir, holding up the empty syringe. Machi was too distracted by Klavier to even notice the injection, a sensation he'd almost grown numb to.

"I feel good," whispered Machi airily, more than a little bit dazed.

A police car with sirens blaring careened into the parking lot. A familiar woman dressed in a lab coat threw open the door. "Did you give it to him?"

"Ja, just now." Klavier stood up, turning around with hands behind back.

"Th-then you're coming with me."

Klavier smiled at Machi and the rest of his friends and Ema put him in handcuffs and read him his rights. "You'll represent me, won't you, Herr Forehead?"

"Of course," said Apollo. "I mean, you saved Machi's life. It's the least I could do."

Klavier laughed as Ema tucked him into the police car and drove away. Machi stood in the doorway, watching them leave as more cop cars filled the parking lot. "Mr. Yoostis!" he said as he turned, more aggressive than Apollo had ever seen him. "You must not allow him to be declared guilty!"

"He _is_ guilty of breaking the law. I guess sometimes you can do something wrong for the right reasons, but…" Apollo sighed, pressing his finger to his forehead, trying to concentrate.

"You must not allow this! My list not finished! I need Klavier Gavin for last part!"

"W-wait," said Apollo, reaching into his pocket where he tucked the list.

Machi presented it to him. Written in shaky scrawl that in no way resembled Lamiroir's the list read, "_Loose virginity_."

"Machi, you're cured now, you don't need the list."

"You say you help complete my list I make of what to do before I leaving. Not before I cure. You promise!"

_Why don't I ever get normal clients?_ Apollo groaned inwardly. "I can't make any promises about Klavier, but I'll get him declared not guilty. The rest is kind of up to you, Machi."

"I know," said Machi with a smile. "I have rest of my life now, to try it."


End file.
